Character Analysis
Bernard O'Hare is not a happy camper. He's not a happy anything. Sure, he's a war hero, and sure he's got a bunch of glory, but even so, he's down in the dumps, and it looks like nothing can fix that. These days, the dude's just got too many kids, too many bills, not enough funds, and no more achievable dreams.
So what does he decide to do? Get drunk and go hunting for Campbell, that's what. He wants to finish what he thinks is an epic battle between the two of them. As for Campbell, he couldn't care less about this supposed battle between the forces of light and darkness, and that just ticks O'Hare off even more. After all, this is supposed to be O' Hare's second chance at fame. He even posts threats to Campbell in the freakin' newspaper:
'I want this guy all for myself,' O'Hare wrote of me. 'I deserve this guy all for myself. I was the guy who caught him in Germany. If I'd known then he was going to get away, I would have blown his head off right then and there. If anybody sees Campbell before I do, tell him Bernie O'Hare is on his way from Boston by nonstop plane.' (29.17)
In O'Hare's mind, this is a larger-than-life, multi-country chase that will end with Campbell arrested or dead, providing O'Hare with glory and purpose once more. It actually ends when Campbell breaks O'Hare's arm with some fire tongs.
But what's all this about? Well, it's true that a lot of soldiers, when they return home after a war (especially a war like WWII, with a pretty good cause), have a hard time adjusting to civilian life. They no longer have the feeling that they're doing something really important, and that their lives depend on it. They sort of feel like they don't have purpose anymore. That sums up O'Hare pretty well.
We can't exactly blame him, though. Think suburban American life is a paradise? Try reading just about any work of literature about it. We can't really blame O'Hare for feeling down in the dumps now that he's had to make a shift from saving the world to managing an ice cream truck and a bunch of kids.
Sigh.